Photographic sheet material drying apparatus



June 20, 1967 M. B. FLEISHER ET AL 3,325,911

PHOTOGRAPHIC SHEET MATERIAL DRYING APPARATUS Filed Feb, 8, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS l/arw) 5. Flezlsfier N P/zz'lnf. hz'xaza Mm WW June 20, 1967 M. B, FLElsHER ET AL 3,325,911

PHOTOGRAPHIC SHEET MATERIAL DRYING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 8, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I ll I N VENTOR S Mazrwh J5. Flezlsk P Pfiz'lv 45/7 12): 0m

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ATTORNEY) June 20, 1967 M. B, FLEISHER ET AL 3,325,911

PHOTOGRAPHIC SHEET MATERIAL DRYING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 8, 1965 I NVEN TORS ATTORNEYJ United States Patent 3,325,911 PHOTOGRAPHIC SHEET MATERIAL DRYING APPARATUS Marvin B. Fleisher, Jericho, and Philip E. llIixon, Wantagh, N.Y., assignors to The Rolor Corporation, Syosset, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Feb. 8, 1965, Ser. No. 431,092 3 Claims. (Cl. 34--159) This invention relates to improvements in photographic processing structures and relates more particularly to a photographic sheet material drying apparatus of improved design. Specifically, the instant invention is directed to a drier for photographic sheet material wherein a pair of endless belts are utilized to define a conveyor assembly for carrying damp photographic sheet material from various processing steps such as a water wash or the like through a heated chamber, wherein it is dried, and from which it emanates in a flat condition, uncreased and unscratched by the drying procedure.

Photographic sheet material drying machines utilized heretofore have taken various forms including heated drums, ovens and endless belt conveying means. Such de vices have sulfered a number of disadvantages. For example, it is frequently necessary to maintain the photographic sheet material in operative relationship with the dryer for an undue length of time in order to completely remove processing liquid. Additionally, machines currently in use require undesirably excessive quantities of heating medium to complete the drying operation thereby increasing the process expense. Further, such structures are frequently large and cumbersome requiring substantial space to accommodate the same. Moreover, many of the prior art devices have deleterious eifects on the photographic sheet material being process, frequently scratching, curling or creasing the same thereby resulting in products of an inferior quality.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a photographic sheet material drying apparatus free from the foregoing and other disadvantages.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an improved drier for photographic sheet material utilizing endless belts formed of a net plastic material, preferably a knit polyethylene terephthalate net material, which allows heated air to readily pass therethrough thereby expediting the drying process while handling the photographic sheet material in such a manner as to preclude scratching or creasing of the same.

Yet another object of the instant invention is the pro vision of a device of the type described wherein, although the endless belts are undulated to define a number of spaced runs thereby producing a more compact structure, material transfer means are included to carry the photographic sheet material between successive runs Without introducing a curl into the same whereby a substantially fiat product may be produced.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a photographic sheet material drier of the endlessbelt type necessitating the use of only two endless belts while functioning to provide a plurality of spaced runs in order to avoid a bulky or cumbersome structure.

An additional object of the instant invention is the provision of such a drier wherein the photographic sheet material being processed continuously progresses in a downward direction to facilitate handling of same.

A further objective of this invention is the provision of a photographic sheet material drier utilizing endless belts of a plastic net material and including means for driving the belts which are so designed as to simplify removal of the belts for replacement or repair as necessary.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a photographic sheet material drying apparatus which is sturdy and durable in construction, reliable and efiicient in operation, and relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, utilize and maintain.

Other and further objects reside in the combination of elements, arrangement of parts and features of construction.

Still other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out as the description of the invention proceeds and as shown in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a photographic sheet material drier according to the instant invention, parts being broken away for illustrative clarity and.

convenience;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 22 of FIGURE 1; I I

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical crosssectional view taken substantially on line 33 of FIG- URE 1, parts being broken away for illustrative convenience;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 44 of FIGURE 1, parts being broken away for illustrative convenience; and

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a portion of one of the endless belts in accordance with the instant invention.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings, a photographic sheet material drying apparatus in accordance with the instant inventive concept is designated generally by the reference numeral 10 and comprises basically a housing 12 within which is operatively positioned a conveyor assembly 14 and a plurality of heating elements 16.

The housing 12 may take any desired size and shape and as shown particularly in FIGURES 2 and 3 includes a photographic sheet material inlet 18 through which damp material to be processed is received in the direction of the arrow 26, and a photographic sheet material outlet 22 through which dried material is removed in the direction of the arrow 24.

The conveyor assembly 14 is formed by a pair of endless belts 26, 23 each having a plurality of undulations, the undulations of the belt 26 substantially abutting the undulations of belt 28 to define a plurality of spaced, substantially horizontally extending, runs 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, and 46 for conveying photographic sheet material shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 3 at 48 from the inlet 18 of the drier 10 to the outlet 22 thereof. It will be readily understood that although nine such runs have been shown, this number having been found optimum for most drying processes, the specific number of runs can be varied at will without departing from the instant inventive concept.

As pointed out hereinabove, one important feature of this invention is the provision of a belt material which is uniquely adapted to allow the passage of heated air from the heating elements 16 for quick and inexpensive drying of the photographic sheet material, while precluding any contact with the sheet material which would have a tendency to mar or scratch the same. Foraminous plastic material, particularly netting formed of knitted polyethylene terephthalate, has been found to be especially useful to perform these functions. Polyethylene terephthalate of the desired type is commercially sold under the trademark Dacron manufactured by Dupont.

Means are provided for driving the belts 26, 28 in the form of endless chains 50, 52 disposed on each side of each of the belts and defining substantially the same undulated configuration as the belts. A plurality of beltsupporting rollers and idlers are rotatably carried by bearing plates 54, 56, 58 and 60 on opposite sides of the housing 10, these elements each including sprockets operatively connected to the chains 50, 52 for movement of the same. As will be seen particularly from FIGURES 2 and 3 a pair of belt-supporting rollers 62, 64 having sprockets at their opposite ends engaging chains 50, 52, respectively, are rotatably supported adjacent to both the inlet 18 and the outlet 22 of the housing 12. In opposite corners of the housing 12, relatively small beltsupporting rollers 66, 68 with sprockets at their opposite ends are operatively associated with chains 50 and 52 are rotatably carried by the bearing plates.

Each of the chains 50, 52 includes a plurality of undulations readily seen in FIGURES 2 and 3, portions of which are abuttingly opposed to form the runs 3046. The undulations in each chain 50, 52 are formed by passing the same back and forth alternately over idlers 70, 72 and belt-supporting rollers 74 in the case of chain 50 and belt-supporting rollers 76 and idlers 78, 80 in the case of chain 52.

Spaced connecting means 82 are provided securing the side edge portions of each belt 26, 28 to its associated chain 50, 52, one such connecting means being shown in detail in FIGURE 5. The connecting means 82 will be seen to be formed of an apertured flange element 84 carried by one of the chains and a clip member 86 having one end 88 reverted through the apertured flange element 84 and its other end 90 reverted through an opening 92 defined by the net material of the belt.

The chains 50, 52 and hence the belts 26, 28 may be driven in any conventional manner. For example, a drive chain 94 from any form of motor device (not shown) may be operatively connected to an outstanding shaft 96 forming a continuation of a belt-supporting roller associated with one of the chains, an additional driving chain 98 operatively interconnecting the shaft 96 with a shaft 100 forming an extension of a belt-supporting roller operatively associated with the other of the chains.

In accordance with an important feature of the instant invention a material transfer means is positioned adjacent the ends of each of the runs to continuously convey the photographic sheet material from one of the runs to the next lower run until it passes through the entire drier. The particular design of the material transfer means utilized in this invention precludes the curlingand creasing of the material being processed which frequently results from the use of prior art devices, the instant apparatus producing photographic sheet material in a substantially flat, uncurled and uncreased condition. Consistent therewith, the idlers 70 constrain the belt 26 to travel in a path diverging from the belt 28 at the end of one run and the idlers 72 constrain the belt 26 to travel in a path converging with the belt 28 at the beginning of the next lower run. Similarly, the idlers 78 constrain the belt 28 to travel in a path diverging from the belt 26 at the end of the said next lower run and the idlers 80 constrain the belt 28 to travel in a path converging with the belt 26 at the beginning of the next succeeding lower run. The idlers 70, 72 and 78, 80 constrain the belts 26, 28, respectively, to travel in substantially vertical downward paths adjacent their cooperating belts after diverging therefrom, and before converging therewith. This particular arrangement of the belts at the ends of each run allows the photographic sheet material to be transferred between successive runs in an unsupported condition thereby precluding creasing and/or curling of the same.

The heating elements 16 are in the form of a plurality of laterally spaced tubular conduits interposed between adjacent runs, all of the conduits communicating with a header 102 on one side of the housing 12, the header 102 being connected to a source of heated air (not shown) through the pipe 104. Each of the tubular heating elements 16 includes a plurality of apertures 106 for directing heated air toward adjacent belts. As will be seen particularly in FIGURES 3 and 4 these apertures are preferably defined in both the top and bottom of the heating elements 16 whereby heated air will pass in the direction of the arrows to impinge against belts both above and below each of the heating elements.

The use and operation of the photographic sheet material drying apparatus of the instant invention will now be apparent. Material 48 to be processed, which may be either in the form of discrete sheets such as prints or the like, or a continuous web, is fed in a damp condition from an earlier portion of a processing cycle (not shown) through the inlet 18 of the housing 12 in the direction of the arrow 20 to be received between the belts 26, 28 forming the run 30. The belts 26, 28, driven by their attachment to the chains 50, 52 through the connecting means 82, continuously convey the photographic sheet material 48 from the run 30 to the run 32 by passing the same in an unsupported condition through the material transfer means defined by the belt-supporting roller 76 and the idlers 70, 72. This operation is continued as the photographic sheet material is conveyed downwardly through the drier toward the outlet 22 of the housing 12. As the photographic material 48 passes from inlet to outlet, heated air is continuously directed against both its surfaces through the net material defining the belts 26, 28 from the heating elements 16 whereby, when the final run 46 is completed, the sheet material has been effectively and efficiently dried without scratching, creasing, or curling the same.

It will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved photographic sheet material drying apparatus which satisfies all of the objectives of the instant invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility, and commercial importance.

Since many embodiments may be made of the instant inventive concept, and since many modifications may be made of the embodiments hereinbefore shown and de scribed, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Accordingly,

What is claimed is:

1. In a photographic sheet material drying apparatus comprising a housing defining a heating chamber having a photographic sheet material inlet and outlet, a conveyor assembly operatively positioned within said housing, said conveyor assembly including a pair of endless belts of a foraminous plastic material each having a plurality of undulations, the undulations of one of said belts substantially abutting the undulations of the other of said belts to define a plurality'of spaced, substantially horizontally extending runs, material transfer means positioned adjacent the ends of each of said runs whereby photographic sheet material fed through said housing inlet into the uppermost of said runs is continuously conveyed in a downward direction to the lower-most of said runs from which it is removed through said housing outlet, at least one heating element interposed between adjacent runs providing heat through said belts to dry the photographic sheet material, and means to drive each of said belts for conveying the photographic sheet material past said heating elements, said photographic sheet material drying apparatus further comprising a plurality of laterally-spaced tubular elements interposed between adjacent runs, means supplying heated air to each of said tubular elements, and apertures defined by each of said tubular elements for directing heated air toward adjacent belts.

2. A photographic sheet material drying apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means to drive each of said belts includes an endless chain disposed on each side of each of said belts, spaced connecting means securing the side edge portions of each belt to its associated chains, and means to drive each of said chains.

3. A photographic sheet material drying apparatus according to claim 2 wherein 'belts are each formed of a plastic net material, said connecting means each including an apertured flange element carried by said chain, and a clip member having one end reverted through said apertured flange element and its other end reverted through an opening defined by said net material.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS FREDERICK L. MATTESON, JR., Primary Examiner.

C. R. REMKE, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A PHOTOGRAPHIC SHEET MATERIAL DRYING APPARATUS COMPRISING A HOUSING DEFINING A HEATING CHAMBER HAVING A PHOTOGRAPHIC SHEET MATERIAL INLET AND OUTLET, A CONVEYOR ASSEMBLY OPERATIVELY POSITIONED WITHIN SAID HOUSING, SAID CONVEYOR ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A PAIR OF ENDLESS BELTS OF A FORAMINOUS PLASTIC MATERIAL EACH HAVING A PLURALITY OF UNDULATIONS, THE UNDULATIONS OF ONE OF SAID BELTS SUBSTANTIALLY ABUTTING THE UNDULATIONS OF THE OTHER OF SAID BELTS TO DEFINE A PLURALITY OF SPACED, SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING RUNS, MATERIAL TRANSFER MEANS POSITIONED ADJACENT THE ENDS OF EACH OF SAID RUNS WHEREBY PHOTOGRAPHIC SHEET MATERIAL FED THROUGH SAID HOUSING INLET INTO THE UPPERMOST OF SAID RUNS IS CONTINUOUSLY CONVEYED IN A DOWNWARD DIRECTION TO THE LOWER-MOST OF SAID RUNS FROM WHICH IT IS REMOVED THROUGH SAID HOUSING OUTLET, AT LEAST ONE HEATING ELEMENT INTERPOSED BETWEEN ADJACENT RUNS PROVIDING HEAT THROUGH SAID BELTS TO DRY THE PHOTOGRAPHIC SHEET MATERIAL, AND MEANS TO DRIVE EACH OF SAID BELTS FOR CONVEYING THE PHOTOGRAPHIC SHEET MATERIAL PAST SAID HEATING ELEMENTS, SAID PHOTOGRAPHIC SHEET MATERIAL DRYING APPARATUS FURTHER COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF LATERALLY-SPACED TUBULAR ELEMENTS INTERPOSED BETWEEN ADJACENT RUNS, MEANS SUPPLYING HEATED AIR EACH OF SAID TUBULAR ELEMENTS, AND APERTURES DEFINED BY EACH OF SAID TUBULAR ELEMENT FOR DIRECTING HEATED AIR TOWARD ADJACENT BELTS. 